We use all American made materials and we make all our kitchen knives at our shop
in Dover, OH. We do not outsource any work overseas! Anyone is welcome to stop
in and visit us in Dover for a tour of the knife shop, where you can watch the knife
making firsthand.

Ernest "Mooney" Warther began making knives in 1902 because he couldn't find a
knife that would stay sharp while carving hard materials like walnut, bone and
ivory. He researched what was the best steel to use and he created his own
techniques for grinding the steel blade so it would keep its sharp edge. We still use
the same specifications and techniques Mooney created. Combining these
techniques with space age steel, we are able to create a superior quality knife.

From Mooney's humble beginnings of making knives; he sought after the highest quality steel that was available for kitchen use, which at that time he chose M2 tool steel. Then, in the mid 1930s, to keep the highest quality kitchen knife, Mooney and his son, Dave, progressed from M2 tool steel to D2 tool steel. Eventually, the Warther Family went to 440-C in the early 1950s due to its higher quality and higher corrosion resistance. We still currently use an American made 440-C, which is a reliable, high quality, high carbon tool steel great for kitchen knives. With our commitment to producing the highest quality kitchen knives, we only use the highest quality, American made materials. The 440-C is tempered, by Kowalski Heat Treating Company in Cleveland, Ohio, to a high degree of hardness (58-60 Rockwell C) without being brittle.

Recent advances in steel technology have allowed us to continue making the highest quality kitchen knives with the best steels available today. Warther Cutlery is currently in the process of transitioning to CPM® S35VN made by Crucible Industries, LLC in Solvay, NY. CPM® S35VN is a martensitic stainless steel with superior sharpness and toughness of its edge, edge retention, and wear and corrosion resistance. CPM® S35VN is heat treated to 58-60 Rockwell as recommended by Crucible for optimal performance.

Grind and Polish

We grind and polish each knife to a convex grind, which can only be accomplished by hand - no automated machinery is used. The purpose of the convex grind is its ability to retain a razor-like edge with just a light honing. This method was common in the early 1900's but has been lost by most knife manufacturers today.

"Spotting"

When Mooney started making knives, he wanted a finish that would
not show wear. So he came up with the idea of "spotting" the
blade. The more formal term for this process is "Engine
Turning". It creates a fine swirl design on the blade by grinding
a concentric circle pattern on the surface. The "spotting" is
smooth to the touch, makes the knife look newer longer, and
gives the knife a distinctive look. This tooling design is created
by hand and has become a Warther registered trademark.

 

 

Handles

Our handles are made from Vermont birch wood which is treated in a resin to make it more durable than regular wood. Note: The natural birch wood does vary in color. The handles are riveted onto the blade at two points. The blade extends all the way through the handle creating a strong and balanced knife. After riveting, the handles are sanded and buffed to a smooth and lustrous finish.

Woodworking

We handcraft all of our counter blocks, wall sets, wood gift chests
and cutting boards from wood which is produced at a local
Amish Country sawmill. All of our counter blocks and walls sets
come in solid cherry or oak. The wood gift chests are solid
cherry or walnut. Our cutting boards are made from
solid maple.